


Time To Begin Again (But With Different Results)

by grimmswan



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Happy Ending, Smut, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:01:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29790942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimmswan/pseuds/grimmswan
Summary: What if, when The Staff sent Nick back in time, it sent him to before he became a Grimm?
Relationships: Nick Burkhardt/Adalind Schade
Comments: 45
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

Nick wrestled with the staff as it pulled him toward the swirling light. He knew it must be a portal to somewhere, but what he didn’t know.  
He had hoped to use the staff to bring back the people he loved, but at the moment it seemed to have a will of its own.  
Just before he was pulled through, he saw the scared face of Trubel. And on Diana’s face was a peaceful and knowing smile.  
Grimm  
When Nick got his bearings, he realized he was in the bedroom of the house he once shared with Juliet. His old phone was on his nightstand. Checking the date, he realized it was three months before he first came into his grimm abilities. Three months before he first saw Adalind.  
He still held the staff in his hand so he knew the past six years had to have happened.  
Thinking it over, he realized that the day was when he told Hank his plan to propose to Juliet and went to the jewelry store to pick out her ring.  
The staff seemed to be giving him a second chance.  
Nick realized he could still try for the life he originally planned. He could tell Juliet about being a grimm. He could avoid everything that went wrong between them.  
But thinking back on it, Juliet hadn’t really been happy. It was why she became so dangerous as a hexenbiest. All that anger she kept hidden. She had even said she didn’t want him to get his powers back when Adalind took them. She wanted them to have a normal life.  
Maybe she just didn’t like being human when surrounded by powerful beings. Though it never seemed to bother Hank. It bothered Juliet.  
It was only because Monroe and Rosalee were threatened by the wesen hate group that Juliet realized Nick needed his abilities.  
Nick also knew that he was different from the man he used to be. So much had happened and he remembered all of it.  
He had wanted a life with Juliet before he became a grimm. But life as a grimm changed everything.   
And the truth was, he no longer wanted a life with Juliet. He was no longer in love with her. What he felt for her was an obligation to her because of the life they had shared and the love they once had. Guilt was also a major factor because he couldn’t help thinking it was his fault that things turned out the way they did.  
Now, he was given a chance to avoid all that. Juliet could have a normal safe life. And Nick could stop feeling guilty and focus on being a grimm.  
He also needed to find a way to make a certain blonde hexenbiest fall in love with him again.  
Grimm  
Ending things with Juliet was easier than he expected.  
It just so happened that the reason Nick had decided to propose to Juliet in the first place was because she was starting to feel insecure about their relationship. She had accused him of not being serious about them as a couple. Looking back, he should have seen it as a sign that she was dealing with things that no amount of effort or sweet words from him would ever fix.  
She had questioned if he was actually being called to a crime scene or if it was to go see another woman. Even though the screen of his phone did show it was Hank calling, Juliet just accused Hank of helping Nick cheat.  
The first time they had had that fight, Nick had kept his voice calm and soothing, took her in his arms and told her she was the only woman he could ever love and betraying her was impossible for him to do.  
The second time they had that fight, Nick told Juliet she needed to get help, that no matter what he said or did, she was never going to trust him. And maybe the truth was that she really didn’t love him and was trying to push him away.  
She had cursed him out, thrown a lamp at him, then packed her things and told him not to call her as she stormed out of the house.  
Nick started packing up his things. He had made an appointment to look at apartments shortly after arriving through the time travel wormhole.  
It wasn’t long before the house was sold and Nick had moved into an apartment.  
Hank was sympathetic, he had had his share of failed relationships.  
Nick did his best to look like he was in mourning for love gone wrong, he was able to do it by thinking about Adalind.  
He missed her and could not wait to find a way to have her back in his arms.  
Grimm  
The Staff seemed to have an energy all on it’s own. It gave Nick knowledge that there were some things he would not be able to change. That he was only allowed to change events that directly affected his life. It also seemed to make him forget things just so he wouldn’t try to change an event.  
He wrapped The Staff in an old ugly rug and rented a storage unit to keep it secret and safe.  
Grimm  
Aunt Marie was surprised when he emailed her to let her know the changes that had happened.  
She came to visit him early. He didn’t pretend to be surprised to see that she had cancer.  
He told her about the staff and what it had done. She was amazed to hear everything he had encountered.  
Knowing that she had little time, he didn’t want to interrogate her about all of the secrets that she kept.  
They stored the trailer in the storage lot he had first put it in when he first became a grimm.   
Nick enjoyed his time with his aunt, learning straight from her about his grimm heritage until the reaper came and she ended up in the hospital.  
Grimm  
Hank had been suspicious why Nick wanted to start getting coffee from a specific coffee shop.  
Since it would only make him look like a crazy stalker, Nick had said nothing.  
Call him sentimental, but he wanted Adalind to still be the first wesen he saw woge.  
Luckily, the coffee and pastries were good.  
Nick would walk into the shop, order two coffees and whatever baked good he and Hank wanted and look for Adalind.  
He saw her a few times, looking beautiful and out of his league. Sometimes she was just walking into the shop as he was walking out. Other times he saw her sitting at a table and chatting with some women he guessed were her coworkers.  
And then it happened.  
Just as Nick was handing Hank his coffee, Adalind came out of the shop, laughing and saying goodbye to her friend. Just as she was walking across the street, her eyes met Nick’s and she woged.  
Nick knew where he was bound to see her next and came up with a plan to change things again.  
Grimm  
Nick waited just at the side of the doorway. The moment Adalind stepped through wearing the labcoat, he grabbed her and spoke commandingly in her ear, “Adalind, stop! Sean Renard doesn’t love you! He’s only using you!”  
It did what he knew it would. The hexenbiest dropped the syringe in shock. He loosened his grip on her so she could turn around and look at him.  
“How do you know…”   
She trailed off, but the implication was clear. How did he know her name? How did he know about Sean Renard and her being in love with him?  
“It’s a long story and I’m not sure you would believe me.” Nick explained. He wanted to tell her everything. Especially about their life together. It had felt so right and wonderful having her in his arms again, but Nick was certain Adalind would think he was some psycho. So instead he kept it to things that she knew or would suspect.  
“Sean Renard is my boss. He’s the bastard son of a king who is one of seven royal families. He essentially rules the Portland wesen underworld. He’s also sleeping with your mother.”  
Rage covered her beautiful face and she woged. But there was also a look as though Nick had confirmed what she already suspected.  
Grimm  
Nick sent Adalind flowers, first making it look like he just wanted to console her after telling her that her mother and her boyfriend were sleeping together and manipulating her. He waited three days then sent her another bouquet. This time under the guise of hoping they could work together.  
She agreed to help him. Being betrayed made her realize she was being used and she wanted to show Renard and her mother that they had made a huge mistake in treating her like a pawn.  
They agreed to keep it a secret that Nick knew about Renard. They knew it would give them an upper hand.  
He never bothered to hide his attraction or admiration, especially when she started talking about things she knew that few others did.  
When she caught the way he was looking at her while she was talking about the hunting rituals of various cultures, it obviously took her off guard and she asked "what?"  
"How do you know all this?" He asked with clear awe.  
"Homeschooling" she replied, ignoring the romantic tension between them and Nick's eyes following her as she pretended to search for more information.  
Knowing that he had to hold back or risk scaring her away, he kept things light and said "You're cute when you're embarrassed. And sexy when you're being nerdy."


	2. Chapter 2

Meeting Monroe had gone very differently than the first time.  
Instead of bursting through his door and falsely accusing him of kidnapping, Nick istead talked with him and convinced him to help.  
Nick knew that the blutbad was looking for a way to make up for whatever sins he had committed in the past. So whatever grumbling he tried was easily seen as a front.  
Grimm  
Nick knocked on Monroe’s door.  
“Blutbad, right.”  
“When Monroe was about to shut the door on him, Nick quickly and very loudly said. “If you want to really live a wieder lifestyle, and erase the mistakes of your past, it might help if you help me catch the blutbad who just kidnapped a little girl.”  
Nick convinced Monroe to tell Hank about the strange behavior of the postman.  
It worked. Just like before, Nick was able to stir Hank’s suspicions by pointing out that the postman was humming the same song that had been playing on the headphones of the jogger who was killed on the same path the little girl was snatched from.  
The man still ended up running away and Hank still ended up shooting him.  
Nick remembered to make a show of looking for the trap door to the room where the girl was hidden.  
He didn’t have to fake the relief of finding her. He still hugged her tight when she threw herself at him, grateful to be rescued.  
After that, Nick would ask for Monroe’s help, bribing him with a nice bottle of wine, and convincing him that a grimm needed a wesen partner to help keep things fair.  
Grimm  
Nick struggled with how to tell Hank and Wu about the wesen world. He didn’t want to make the same mistakes he had before, but he also didn’t want to push the men into that world before the right time.  
Telling Sean Renard anything was the last thing on Nick’s to do list.  
If there was one lesson that Nick had retained from before, it was that Sean Renard could not be trusted. That he would always look out for himself and his own interests in the end. Even if it meant betraying the people who were there for him and helped him when he was in need.  
Nick knew he had an expressive face. It was next to impossible for him to hide any of his emotions. So he had no doubt that everyone could see his feelings toward the captain were less than respectful and friendly.  
Renard certainly noticed. And though he tried to hide it, Nick saw an underlying fear. Renard was concerned that Nick knew what he was and the threat he posed.  
Grimm  
Something Nick realized was that, even though The Staff was hidden and locked away, it still guided and influenced him on things he needed to know and do. It also gave him the knowledge of the things it changed.  
There was no longer a key for the royals to scheme to obtain.  
They were still after something the original Knights had possession of, but the royals now believed that a grimm actually had the powerful artifact.  
It meant that Nick was in just as much danger, if not more, than he had been the first time.  
Life was just never going to give him a break.  
At least he had Adalind for comfort.  
Though he still had to work to win her heart completely.  
He ached for her. He hated that he couldn’t sleep next to her each night. He missed waking up and seeing her beside him.  
Nick needed Adalind back in his arms on a permanent basis.  
But Adalind did not know him. She did not remember the life they had because she had not lived that time yet.  
Nick thought about Adalind constantly. He hoped that she thought about him too.  
He also hoped that he would have his entire family back, including Diana and Kelly. But he did not want to get them by the same route as before.  
Nick planned to be the father of all of Adalind’s children. He was going to do everything possible to limit Sean Renard’s presence in Adalind’s life.  
Nick wanted to have his family without having to go through the turmoil to obtain them that he had the first time around.  
But in order to get his family back, Nick knew he needed to bide his time and use his brains. Just because he had knowledge of the future didn’t mean anyone else did.  
It wasn’t easy for him, but he knew it would all be worth it. He just had to be patient.


	3. The Mellifer Case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Note the Rating Change. Erotic Scenes Ahead

Nick did his best to keep his face from revealing too much when he walked into the precinct bullpen and saw several mellifers.  
It meant that a hexenbiest had been poisoned. One of Adalind’s coworkers. And that meant that soon Renard would call him and Hank in to meet Adalind.  
But proving that the timeline had shifted certain things, Adalind called Nick and asked if she could stay with him.  
“Not much can kill a hexenbiest, but the poison from a mellifer can. And the queen can make swarms of bees attack. Several of my ancestors were killed like that.” Adalind told him when she was sitting down on his couch. “They might think they’re protecting you.” Adalind said. “If they think I’m still working for Renard and planning to hurt you.”  
“Even if you were trying to kill me, I still could not let you die. Everyone would be highly suspicious if I failed to protect a witness.” Nick said.  
“I know it sounds crazy and that we haven’t known each other that long, but I just feel safer with you. Could I maybe stay here and sleep next to you until you catch the one behind this?”  
Grimm  
Adalind wore only a t-shirt and underwear as she slipped into bed. It was certainly a more revealing attire than what she had worn the first time they had slept in the same bed in the original timeline.  
“You don’t mind, do you?”  
Of course he didn’t mind. But a part of him wondered at what she was up to.  
It didn’t take long to find out. Once she slid under the covers, she shifted several times until she was nearly pressed against Nick.  
“If you're having trouble sleeping, I know a way for us both to relax.”  
Her hand moved under his shirt. They both moved to press their lips together. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands needing to feel as much of her as they could.  
“I don’t do one night stands, Adalind. Once I have you, I’m keeping you.” Nick emphasized his point by sliding his hand up her thigh and squeezing her ass.  
Her hand slid down his body to brush her fingers along his groin.  
Nick’s alarm rang. He groaned in frustration at being pulled from such a pleasant dream.  
He looked over at a sleeping Adalind clad in a blue flannel nightgown and sighed in frustration.  
It had been literal months since he had sex. He had chosen not to be intimate with Juliet because he knew it would have been wrong. It would have felt like a betrayal.  
Before traveling through time, ever since Adalind had returned to him from Black Claw, the two of them had made love every night. Even with other people staying in their home, they always found a way to be together.  
Nick could easily admit that Adalind had spoiled him. She was an insatiable temptress that always made her desires very clear. She loved to give and receive affection. And Nick had felt like he was in Heaven every time they touched.  
He really hoped to win her heart soon before he embarrassed himself.  
Grimm  
Renard was the Prince of Portland and half zauberbiest, so it made sense that there would be a lot of pressure on him to protect the hexenbiest being targeted. Of course he was going to put his best men on the case.  
Renard thought there might be some animosity between Burkhardt and Adalind. After all, he had sent her there to kill Nick’s aunt. And she must have failed because Marie Kessler had succumbed a week later to her illness. Renard had assumed that Burkhardt had caught Adalind and stopped her. It’s what Adalind had told him. That the male grimm had prevented her from injecting the poison into the female grimm. That was the last time Sean had spoken with Adalind. He had not seen or heard a word from her since.  
But the only person Nick’s angry stare was directed towards was Captain Sean Renard.  
When Adalind was in the room with them, Nick seemed to make it a point to stand between Sean and Adalind. At times even blocking the captain’s view of the blonde.  
Grimm  
Adalind had chosen not to tell Renard that Nick had revealed to her some things she had already suspected.  
Like the fact that he had been sleeping with her mother. And that he has only pretended to care for her in order to use her for his own selfish goals.  
Nick and Adalind had talked it over and agreed that the best strategy was to keep Renard in the dark about what Nick knew as long as possible.  
Grimm  
Nick noticed Adalind’s behavior was very different from the other timeline. She didn’t play up being scared and vulnerable for Hank. Instead, she mostly stayed by Nick.  
She was obviously scared, but she didn’t try to be the damsel in distress. She also didn’t try to pretend to be the big bag witch who feared nothing. Since she didn’t have to be on her guard around Nick. She knew he would protect her. And she revealed that trust easily.  
Whenever Adalind was in the room with him, she tended to gravitate toward Nick. She was never more than a few inches away from him at any given moment.  
Of course, Hank noticed and was inclined to say something.  
“I think the lawyer had a little crush on you. Maybe when this is all over you should think about asking her out.”  
Hank had been concerned for Nick since he noticed that months had passed since Nick and Juliet had broken up and yet he had shown no interest in getting back in the dating pool.  
He didn’t know that Nick knew who he was meant to be with and had no interest in wasting his time.  
Nick noticed Hank’s relief when the younger detective admitted, “I plan to when I know she’s safe and we’re not needed to protect her anymore.”  
In truth, Nick hoped he would prove to Adalind that he was a different kind of grimm who didn’t judge species and would happily accept and love all that she was.  
Grimm  
The mellischwuler, Melissa Wincroft, queen bee, leader of the group of bee wesen intent on killing the hexenbiest of Portland, still found a way to get to Adalind.  
Hexenbiests were supernaturally strong, but millifer queens were just as strong. The two women fought, each trying to gain the upper hand, and both ended up woging.  
Nick struggled to get to Adalind but was hindered by the swarms of bees blocking his way.  
His heart stopped when he saw Adalind slip and fall back. The heel of her designer shoe getting caught and making her lose her balance.  
Hoping to reason with WIncroft before she took advantage of Adalind’s mistake, Nick shouted, “You need to stop. She’s done nothing to you. I know you’re angry about losing your family business but it’s not the lawyers fault. The women were just doing their job. Following the direction of their leader the way your people follow yours.”  
“They’re hexenbiests! They are your enemies as well! They are a danger to you! All beist need to be exterminated! If we don’t kill them they will attack you!”  
“You can’t just attack someone because you think they might be a danger to you. You’re letting age old bigotry rule your actions. We all need to get above that.”  
Unfortunately, the queen could not be reasoned with. And Nick had no choice but to pull the trigger of his gun and shoot Wincroft in order to save Adalind.  
Clearly shaken, and back to her pretty form, Adalind threw herself into Nick’s arms. She ran her fingers through his hair, nuzzling his neck, seeking comfort.  
He sighed contentedly as he held her tight, cherishing the moment, more than happy to provide it to her.  
“You still saved me.” She said in awe. “You saw my full hexenbiest form and you still chose to protect me.”  
“You being a hexenbiest is no reason to hurt you. Like I told Wincroft, we can’t let bigotry rule us.”  
“So you wouldn’t mind calling a hexenbiest your friend?”  
Nick could hear what Adalind was really saying.  
Friends was a good starting point and could lead the way to them becoming much closer.  
“Well, I’m friends with a blutbad. If Monroe has the patience to deal with me, I’m sure you do too.”


	4. Time To Get Closer

Giving credit where it was due, Nick knew that Sean Renard was not blind. And not a complete fool. His sense was sometimes clouded by ambition. But even he would eventually notice that there was something going on between Nick and Adalind.  
Renard suspected that Nick knew about the wesen world, somehow, though he had never given any indication of it before. He wondered if Nick had snuck around and found a way to investigate those that might pose a threat. Maybe finding out who would be the potential enemy or ally.  
Realizing he needed to rethink how he approached Nick and handled working with a grimm. He decided to try to persuade Nick to believe that they were better off working on the same side.  
When Renard found out that Nick had broken up with his longtime girlfriend and was now single, it gave him an idea to use Adalind to seduce Nick, eventually convincing him to work for the half royal on off the record business.  
Grimm  
Renard showed up at Adalind’s law firm and requested to see her under the guise of just wanting to check in with a witness to an officer involved shooting.  
Given that Adalind was the only one there when Burkhardt killed the mellifer leader, it would seem like the logical thing for both humans and wesen.  
“I noticed that you and Nick seemed a little cozy during the mellifer case.” Sean said when he entered her office and locked the door.  
“What of it?” Adalind asked with suspicion.  
“That might work in our favor. A grimm on our side would be a great advantage in gaining power.”  
“You want me to seduce a grimm! Do you really think a grimm would be interested in being with a hexenbiest?”  
“I know Burkhardt. He is one of the most open minded and least judgmental people I’ve ever met. He also happens to be a soft touch. He can’t help himself. He has to come to the rescue of anyone who needs saving. You and I both know he has to protect someone he sees as innocent. All you need to do is play up the scared little girl routine and he’ll be eager to be your knight in shining armor. And if that doesn’t work you could always give him a zaubertrank.”  
“He’s a grimm. A zaubertrank might not even work on him.”  
“Then you’ll just have to rely on your feminine charms. I doubt that will be too difficult for you.”  
Grimm  
“So Sean Renard suggested I seduce you. And if you weren’t receptive to my feminine charms, I should use my hexenbiest ones and slip you an infatuation potion.” Adalind’s irritation with the bastard prince grew as she relayed the story to the grimm.“ You were right. He essentially sees me as a pawn in his bid for power. Practically wants me to prostitute myself in order to get him what he wants. The sad thing is I might have gone along with it had you not pointed out to me how twisted it was. I was so blindly devoted to him.”  
“I’m sorry that your heart has been broken. But I’m glad I was able to stop you from doing something I am certain you would regret later.” Nick said sincerely.  
He hated seeing her upset, but knew it was necessary. Making her see how toxic Sean Renard was would help the two of them move to their happy life together without having to deal with all of the drama caused because of Sean being able to manipulate Adalind and get her to do anything for him by taking advantage of her love for him.  
“Although I have to admit, it might be fun to be on the receiving end of your feminine charms.” Nick added with a boyish grin.  
Appearing to take his comment as a joke, Adalind rolled her eyes. But inside she wondered if maybe Nick might be open to pursuing a more amorous and intimate relationship.  
Adalind would freely admit that Nick was a very attractive man. She often yearned to run her fingers through his hair and thought about how nice it would be to be wrapped in his arms.  
The more she thought about it, the more Adalind was intrigued about the possibility of being a grimm’s mate.  
It would seem like such an impossible match. But what if it turned out to be a perfect one?  
Adalind decided to actually put in the thought and effort to seduce Nick.  
Not because Renard wanted her to but because she wanted to know if her prince charming was not a half royal but a grimm.  
Adalind decided to invite Nick to her home for dinner.  
She prided herself on her bolognese. And felt it would be very useful in helping her determine if Nick would be interested in a romantic relationship with her.  
Also priding herself on her cunning, Adalind would make Nick believe that the dinner was meant as a thank you for saving her from the mellifer attack.  
By all appearances, it would just be a casual dinner between friends.  
After all, it wasn’t Adalind’s fault that Italian food was considered ideal for a romantic date.  
Grimm  
“It’s my way of saying thank you.” Adalind repeated to Nick as she set down the plates of spaghetti bolognese.  
"Did you put a zaubertrank in this?" He joked.  
She gave him a pointed look to show she was not amused.  
"If I was going to put one in, it would be for you to be obsessed with vegetables. Seriously, the amount of junk food you eat."  
Nick laughed. "You and Monroe have the same mind."  
"When do I get to meet this blutbad friend of yours?"  
"Soon. I talked with him earlier today and he suggested we all meet up at the farmers market the day after tomorrow. I remember saying you were planning to go. And since it’s my day off, it seemed like the perfect plan.”  
Adalind smiled and a soft blush fell on her cheeks. “I didn’t realize you were paying attention to my schedule.”  
“It’s hard not to. Everything about you interests me.”  
Grimm  
With his gift of reading people, it was very obvious to Nick that Adalind had decided to seduce him. His instincts told him that she was being genuine with her interest.  
She was subtle about her seduction. She was testing his reaction first. That was part of how Nick knew it was real. She was testing the waters. Trying to see if he was receptive to her more covert attempts at seduction before advancing to the more obvious techniques.  
Instead of her power lawyer attire, she wore a sheer blue floral dress that hugged her waist and flowed around her legs, giving her a softer appearance.  
Instead of her hair being pin strait, it was fuller and slightly wavy.  
Nick wanted so badly to bury his hands in her hair and kiss her senseless.  
He made it very clear he was interested. He did not hide his admiration of her or look away when she caught him staring at her as they cleaned up together after they finished their meal.  
“Are you checking me out?” She kept her voice light and teasing, in case she was wrong.  
Nick wanted to assure her she was not wrong. “Of course. You’re an incredibly attractive woman.”  
“For a hexenbiest, you mean.” Adalind asked with hopeful caution.  
Nick moved closer to her. “I mean, you are a sexy, beautiful, intelligent woman and if I had any less self control my hands would be all over you by now and my mouth would be too busy tasting you to form words.”  
Adalind visibly shivered. She was becoming more aroused with every word he said and every step closer he got to her.  
Once they were close enough, neither one could resist closing the last remaining distance and going in for a kiss.  
For Nick, it felt like he was finally where he belonged. He was finally home.  
For Adalind, it felt like her blood was on fire and her bones were melting. If the grimm could kiss like that, she couldn’t wait to get him into her bed.


End file.
